Combination pocket calendar and permanent file



Oct. 20, 1970 Filed Jan. 9, 1969 R. W- DIAMBRA ETAL COMBINATION POCKET CALENDAR AND PERMANENT FILE I29 as JANUARY '69 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

R4004. G 'D/AMBRA 4.4.070 A. KLOFKMOA ArmR/ws'vs Oct. 20, 197% R. w. DIAMBRA ET L 3,534,439

COMBINATION POCKET CALENDAR AND PERMANENT FILE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 969

' INVENTOR.

R400, 6] O/ANSRA gum o A KL aFA/VDA Md flan/q Int. Cl. G09f 3/ 02 US. Cl. 40-122 6 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A combination pocket calendar and permanent file is disclosed having a support sheet formed as three hinged panels. A plurality of calendar pockets are secured to the lower edge of the center panel by a pair of upstanding tabs and are swingable from a normal calendar position to a position adjacent the center panel. The upper panel, which has a flap member secured to its free edge, folds downwardly over the central panel. When used as a calendar, the flap member is inserted between the tabs and beneath the lower calendar pocket. When used as a file, all the pockets and the lower panel are folded up under the upper cover panel and the flap member is inserted through a slot formed in the sheet along the edge between the center and lower panels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates generally to calendar assemblies and more particularly relates to a pocket-type calendar, or other record type in which records are desired to be retained, having means for converting it into a permanent file at the end of the year.

Description of the prior art Broadly speaking, pocket-type calendars are well known in the art and many variations of the basic theme have been manufactured and sold in past years. Typical of the prior art in this area is the Woofter Pat. No. 2,877,581 that issued Mar. 17, 1959. In the Woofter design, the calendar leaves can be swung upwardly into a hidden position behind a cover panel, or swung downwardly into a normal position for viewing. The upper edge of each calendar leaf is provided with a pair of slots that are used to support the leaf for swinging movements about a plastic binding clip having a pair of curved hinge elements that extend through the slots. The free edge of the cover panel is provided with a pair of larger slots that fit over the pair of hinge elements when the cover is swung downwardly to hide the upwardly extending group of calendar leaves. The pair of hinge elements protrude through the slots in the cover panel and a pencil is inserted through them to lock the cover panel in place. At the end of the year, the individual leaves can all be moved upwardly to positions between the backing and cover panels and the calendar filed away for record purposes.

The Woofter drop-pocket calendar has certain disadvantages, both from a manufacturing and from a usage standpoint. The plastic binding clip adds expense to the calendar and increases considerably the amount of time required to assemble the calendar. Considerable time is required to insert one side of the binding clip into the backing panel, insert the calendar leaves over the hinge members and then insert the other side of the binding clip into the backing panel. During usage of the calendar, another problem arises. When the pencil is removed from the two hinge members, there is nothing to prevent the cover panel from swinging outwardly to in turn permit Patented Oct. 20, 1970 the upstanding calendar leaves to drop out of their hidden position. This is an unnecessary inconvenience to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a combination pocket calendar and permanent file that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art structures. Each calendar of the present invention is constructed from two basic sub-assemblies. The first subassembly is a flexible support or backing sheet preferably constructed from a single sheet of cardboard and formed as three panels hingedly connected at their adjoining edges. The free edge of the cover panel is provided with a flap member hingedly secured thereto. Again, this entire sub-assembly is formed from a single sheet of flexible material such as cardboard. The support sheet is also provided with a slot formed along the edge between the center panel and the lower panel.

The second sub-assembly is the individual calendar sheet or leaf for each month. Each calendar sheet is provided with a pocket and is also provided with a pair of upstanding tabs separated by a recessed central portion along the upper edge thereof. A plurality of these calendar leaves are superpositioned and then stapled or otherwise secured to the bottom edge of the central panel by means of the pair of upstanding tabs. During normal calendar usage, the cover member is folded downwardly and the flap member is inserted under the bottom calendar leaf. As the months pass, the calendar leaves are folded upwardly under the cover panel and again the flap member is inserted under the bottom calendar leaf. The recessed edge portion between the tabs permits the flap member to be inserted between the used and unused calendar leaves. At the end of the year, all of the calendar leaves are folded upwardly beneath the cover panel and at that time, the flap member is inserted into the previously mentioned slot to secure the unit together as a permanent file. This procedure could be reversed whereby the unused calendar leaves would be retained behind the cover panel and folded downwardly as time passes.

The present calendar is very simple to manufacture and assemble. The entire support sheet including the flap member is formed from a single sheet of hard paper. The pocket-type calendar leaves are all identical and are secured to the support sheet by a simple stapling operation. For these reasons, the calendar can be mass-produced at a very low cost as compared to prior art pocket-type calendars. During usage as a calendar, the flap member provides a very secure lock for the cover panel to hold the upstanding used or unused calendar leaves out of sight. At the end of the year, the same flap member forms a very secure lock for the unit as a permanent file.

In one embodiment of our invention, a suitable photograph or other subject matter having a pleasing appearance is printed on, pasted on or otherwise secured to the front of the cover panel. In another embodiment of our invention, a rectangular opening is formed in the cover panel and a different photograph is printed on, pasted on or other-wise secured to the rear of each calendar leaf. When the calendar leaves are folded upwardly behind the cover panel, the picture on the rear side thereof will show through the opening in the cover panel. In this manner, the user of the calendar will be able to view a different photograph or picture each month.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the calendar assembly with the cover panel in the open position so that the entire support sheet lies in a single plane;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the unit in position for use as a calendar, with the cover panel folded downwardly and the flap member inserted beneath the bottom calendar leaf;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2, portions thereof being broken away;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in side elevation of the calendar assembly;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of the calendar assembly folded and locked in position as a permanent file;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective of a single calendar leaf, showing the pocket with miscellaneous papers filed therein; and

FIG. 8 is a view in perspective of an alternate embodiment of our invention,

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals will be uwd throughout the several views to indicate like elements of the invention, there is disclosed a calendar assembly 10 having a flexible backing or support sheet 11 and a plurality of pocket-type calendar leaves 12. Flexible support sheet 11 is preferably constructed from a single sheet of hard paper or cardboard and includes an upper cover panel 11a, a narrow connector panel 1112, a center panel 11c and a lower backing panel 11d. These panels are hingedly connected together at their adjoining edges by folds or creases in the support sheet from which they are formed.

Also formed from the same sheet is a flat member 14 hingedly secured to the free edge of cover panel 11a. A sawtooth slot 15 is formed in center panel 110 near the upper edge thereof to provide means for hanging and leveling the calendar. A perforated slot 16 is formed along the central portion of the adjoining edges of the central panel 110 and the lower panel 11d. The length of slot 16, and its positioning, corresponds to the length and positioning of the base of flap member 14. As will be readily understood, the entire support sheet 11 and flap member 14 can be cut or stamped from a single sheet of material. At the same time, the creates can be formed to provide the hinges between the panels, and slots 15 and 16 can be formed. As shown in FIG. 2, a photograph or picture can be attached to the front of cover panel 11a. Although not shown on the drawings, the other faces of the various panels can be provided with charts or information useful to the owner of the calendar.

Each calendar leaf 12 is provided with a pocket in the usual manner and the front face thereof is printed \with the calendar information for one month as shown in FIG.

1. The upper edge of each calendar leaf 12 is defined by a pair of tabs 12a and 12b that extend upwardly from opposite sides of a recessed central portion 12c. The recessed central portion 12c is slightly wider than the perforated slot 16. Each of the tabs 12a and 12b extend inwardly from the associated side edge of the calendar leaf to the associated edge of the recessed portion 120. The tabs 12a and 12b are of sufiicient width and strength to provide support for the associated calendar leaf, including the pocket and material carried thereby.

To assemble the calendar, a plurality, normally one for each month, of calendar leaves 12 are superimposed and then secured to backing sheet 11 by means of a pair of staples 18 and 19. Preferably, the top edge of each calendar leaf 12 as defined by recessed portion 120 lies beneath but in parallel with slot 16. The tabs 12a and 12b, however, extend over the adjoining edge of panels 110 and 11d and are stapled to center panel 110 near its bottom edge. Each calendar leaf 12 is thus swingable about staples 18 and 1 between an upper position adjacent the central panel 110 and a lower position adjacent the lower backing panel 11d.

During the first month of usage of the calendar 10, all of the calendar leaves 12 will be hanging downwardly as shown in FIG. 1. Cover panel 11a is folded downwardly over center panel and flap member 14 is inserted between tabs 12a and 12b and beneath the bottom calendar leaf 12. This configuration is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. It is noted at this point that during normal calendar usage, flap member 14 is not inserted in slot 16, but instead is inserted beneath the lowermost calendar leaf 12. The edges of cover panel 11a that lie on opposite sides of flap member 14 are thus positioned over tabs 12a and 12b to hide staples 18 and 19. As best shown in FIG. 3, fiap member 14 is of sufiicient length to be retained securely behind the calendar leaves.

FIG. 4 shows the calendar after several months of use. A plurality of used calendar leaves 12 have been swung upwardly adjacent center panel 11c while a plurality of unused calendar leaves 12 still hang downwardly adjacent lower backing panel 11d. Again, co-ver panel 11a is folded downwardly over the upstanding calendar leaves 12 and flap member 14 is inserted between the recessed portions 12c of the upper leaves and the recessed portions of the lower leaves to a position behind the bottom leaf as before. The configuration of the tabs 12a and 12b in connection with the recessed portion 12c permits the flap member 14- to be inserted in this manner at any time during the year. Also, as best shown in FIG. 4, connector panel 11b is designed to provide sufiicient space between cover panel 11a and center panel 11c to accommodate the upstanding calendar leaves 12 including the material contained in the pockets thereof,

At the end of the year, when all of the calender leaves have been used, all of the leaves 12 and the lower backing panel 11d are swung upwardly against center panel 11c, and then cover panel 11a is swung downwardly thereover to form a very compact permanent file. In this position, flap member 14 is inserted through slot 15 as shown in FIG. 5 to hold or lock the file together. It is noted that flap 14 extends through slot 16 from the rear toward the front thereof. Preferably, slot 16 is partially imperforate so that during the normal calendar year there is no tendency for the user to insert flap member 14 through the slot. However, at the end of the year, the perforated slot is completely opened to accommodate flap member 14. An enlarged sectional view of the flap member 14 extending through slot 16 is shown in FIG. 6.

An alternate embodiment of our invention is shown in FIG. 8. The basic construction of this embodiment is identical to that previously described, but here cover panel 11a is provided with a rectangular opening 20 so that cover panel 11a acts as a picture frame. A suitable photograph or picture 21 is pasted or otherwise secured or printed on the reverse side of each calendar leaf 12. A photograph would also be secured to the front wall of center panel 110 so that during the month of January, this photograph would appear through the opening 20. Each month thereafter, as the used calendar leaf is swung upwardly out of the wa a new photograph 21 would appear through opening 20. This feature adds to the appearance and saleability of the calendar.

Our invention provides a calendar that can be manufactured in large quantities at low unit cost. The calendar, after manufacture, forms a very flat package that can be easily mailed to the consumer. Also, this type of calendar is especially well adapted for use as advertising material to be distributed free of charge by many companies. When in use, the calendar retains its attractive shape throughout the year because of its unique construction, and when the year is finished, it can be quickly and easily converted into a permanent file for the material contained in the pockets.

1. A combination pocket-type calendar and permanent file, comprising:

(a) a flexible support sheet including an upper cover panel, a center panel and a lower backing panel hingedly connected together at their adjoining edges, said shet having a slot formed therein along the central portion of said adjoining edges of said center and lower panels;

(b) a plurality of pocket-type calendar leaves each having an upper edge defined by a pair of tabs extending upwardly from opposite sides of a recessed central portion;

(c) means for securing said tabs to the center panel adjacent the lower edge thereof, with said edge of said recessed central portion positioned on the opposite side of said slot therefrom, said leaves being swingable between an upper position adjacent said center panel and a lower position adjacent said lower panel; and

(d) a flap member hingedly secured to the free edge of said cover panel, said cover panel, for calendar usage, folding downwardly over said center panel and said leaves in said upper position with said flap member extending between said tabs and behind the bottom one of said leaves in said lower position, and for usage as a permatnent file, said lower panel and all of said leaves being folded upwardly under said cover panel and said flap member extending through said slot 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said fiap member and said panels are all constructed as a single sheet with creases formed therein to act as hinges between them.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said slot is left partially imperforate during normal calendar usage to discourage placing said flap member therein, and wherein said slot is fully open when the calendar is converted to a file.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein an opening is formed in said cover panel to act as a picture frame for pictures carried by the rear faces of said calendar leaves.

5. A combination calendar and file, comprising:

(a) a support sheet including a cover panel, a center panel and a lower panel hingedly connected together at their adjoining edges, said sheet having a slot formed therein along said adjoining edges of said center and lower panels;

(b) a plurality of calendar leaves each having an upper edge defined by a pair of tabs extending upwardly from opposite sides of a recessed central portion;

((2) means for securing said tabs to the center panel above said adjoining edge between it and said lower panel with said recessed central portion positioned below said edge, said leaves being swingable between an upper position adjacent said center panel and a lower position adjacent said lower panel; and

(d) a flap member secured to the free edge of said cover panel, said cover panel folding downwardly over said center panel with said flap member extending behind the bottom one of said leaves in said lower position, and when used as a permanent file said lower panel and all of said leaves being folded upwardly under said cover panel and said flap member extening through said slot to secure the file together.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein an opening is formed in said cover panel to act as a picture frame for pictures carried by the rear faces of said calendar leaves.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,291,194 1/1919 Shedd 40-119 2,010,102 8/1935 Magnus et al. 40--1.22 2,228,517 1/1941 Hawkins 40119 2,877,581 3/1959 Woofter 401 19 2,960,783 11/1960 Nichols 40119 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner 35 W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner 

